What it's about: After years on the road with her mother, running from their freakishly bad luck, Alice is resourceful, tough, and angry -- qualities she'll need after her mom is kidnapped. Desperate to rescue her, Alice looks for clues from a forbidden source: Tales from the Hinterland, the cult-classic book of sinister fairy tales written by her grandmother.

What it's about: Just when things are looking especially bleak for 18-year-old thief Zara, she gets an unexpected reprieve: she's been chosen as an Honor, one of a select group of humans who will join the Leviathan -- a species of sentient alien spaceships -- on an exploratory journey through the stars.

Why you might like it: With futuristic world-building and complex bonds between human and alien characters, this series opener is sure to grab science fiction fans.

Starring: 17-year-old MIT freshman Mei, whose future has been planned by her traditional Taiwanese parents: medical school, marriage to a Taiwanese guy, babies. With such heavy expectations, how can Mei tell her parents that she hates germs, loves dancing, and might be falling for her Japanese-American classmate?

Why you might like it: It's a funny, even-handed look at a teen girl's struggle to define herself without losing her family.

What it is: a follow-up to Bronx Masquerade, similarly packed with authentic first-person poems that offer glimpses into the lives of the diverse students in Mr. Ward's high school poetry class.

Featuring: Darrian, who's grieving his mom's death while dreaming of being a journalist; Jenesis, who's worried about aging out of foster care; Marcel, whose dad shouldn't have gone to jail; and Freddie, who's tired of being the responsible caretaker in her family.

What it's about: Surviving the foster care system as a person on the autism spectrum hasn't been easy for Alvie, but she's got an apartment, a job, and soon she'll be 18 and emancipated. She doesn't need any complications -- complications like Stanley, a guy with a rare medical condition who understands Alvie like no one else.

Starring: Susan, Esther, and Daisy, three unlikely friends trying navigate their first year of college. Because whether you're having awkward personal revelations, dealing with gross dudebros, or surviving the flu in a dorm room, it's easier when you don't have to do it alone.

Who it's for: older teens looking for a snarky and relatable slice of university life.

Series alert: This collection is just the 1st of many: Volume 7 is due out later this month, and the series is still in progress.

What it's about: A dismembered bride. A monster in human skin. A wolf outside your window. These familiar fairy tale themes get a visually arresting new spin in this collection of horror comics. Canadian artist Emily Carroll illustrates each chilling tale with bold colors (emphasis on blood red), careful details, and suspenseful pacing.

Is it for you? If you love the eerie atmosphere of Edward Gorey's art but prefer a more unsettling edge, don't miss this shiver-inducing read.

What it's about: When gleefully violent Nimona first offers to be his sidekick, villainous Lord Ballister Blackheart turns her down. Once she reveals that she's a shapeshifter, however, Blackheart is intrigued. Nimona could be useful for overthrowing Blackheart's archenemies...but does she really have her powers under control?

Why you might like it: Adorably edgy cartoons provide the perfect visuals for this witty, heartfelt fantasy that defies stereotypes about good and evil.